Shadowing Practice: Talking about jobs πŸ“ˆ πŸ‘©β€πŸ”¬ πŸ’· Real Easy English - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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1
Hello and welcome to Real Easy English.
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2
In this podcast, we have real conversations in Easy English to help you learn.
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I'm Neil.
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And I'm Beth.
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Remember, you can find a script for this episode to read along on our website, bbclearningenglish.com.
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Hello, Beth.
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How are you?
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I'm very well, Neil.
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How are you?
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I'm good, thank you.
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Good.
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What are we talking about in this episode, Neil?
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Well, we are going to be talking about jobs and our careers.
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OK.
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So, can you explain the difference between a job and a career?
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Yes.
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So, our job is what we do for work.
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So, I work at BBC Learning English.
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It's my job.
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But career is a word we use to talk more about our work in the long term.
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So, all of the jobs that we've had and the jobs that we might want to do in the future.
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OK.
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And also with career, it's a word we use to talk about the type of work we do.
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So you might have a career in teaching or a career in TV, for example.
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So, Neil, I know you work here at BBC Learning English, of course, but have you had any other jobs?
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Oh yes, I've had lots of other jobs.
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Before I worked at the BBC, I was a teacher, an English teacher and before that I had lots of jobs when I was a student.
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OK.
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So, how long have you worked at the BBC for?
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20 years.
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More than 20 years.
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Oh wow.
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OK.
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So, when you were a student and you had jobs, that was quite a long time ago.
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It was ages ago, Beth.
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Before the internet was invented.
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OK.
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And what jobs did you do when you were a student?
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So when I was a student, I worked in a hotel, I worked in restaurants as a waiter, I worked in a fish and chip shop.
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Did you?
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Yeah.
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How long did you work in a fish and chip shop for?
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I worked in a fish and chip shop for a summer.
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And how about you, Beth?
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When did you start working at the BBC?
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I have worked here for around three years, so I've been here since 2021.
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But I've been working in London for six years because I've been here since 2018.
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So Beth, you said that you have worked at the BBC since 2021.
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Since.
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What does it mean when we use since?
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Well, we use since followed by a date or a point in time and we use it to talk about when something started but also it's something that is still true.
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So, I have been here since 2021 and I still work here now, so it's still true.
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Yeah, and that's different to for, isn't it?
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When you say, say I've worked here for 20 years, we're talking about the length of time.
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Exactly.
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And that can be something that is still true.
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For example, you've worked here for 20 years and you still work here now, but it also could be something in the past.
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So, for example, you said you worked in a fish and chip shop for a summer and that summer has a length of time, it has a start and an end.
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So, what is the funniest thing that's ever happened at work, Beth?
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Well, when I was a teenager, I worked at a farm and sometimes the goats would escape.
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So I had to run after baby goats and I would have to pick them up and put them back.
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But I got a little cuddle with a baby goat.
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So it was funny, but it was also very nice.
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Ah, that's a nice thing to do in your job.
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Right, let's recap the words we've learnt today.
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We had career, which means the jobs we've had over time.
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Since, which we use to talk about the time when something started.
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For, which we can use to talk about a length of time.
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For example, I've worked at the BBC for 20 years.
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That's it for this episode of Real Easy English.
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If you enjoyed this podcast, you can find more activities and courses to help you with your English on our website bbclearningenglish.com.
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Next time we'll be talking about our habits and daily routines.
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See you then.
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Goodbye.
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Bye.
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Thank you.
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About This Lesson

In this lesson, we will explore the topic of jobs and careers, as discussed in the video "Talking about Jobs." During this session, you will practice essential vocabulary related to different professions and the distinction between a job and a career. You will enhance your speaking skills and grammatical understanding, focusing on tense usage, such as "have worked" and "since." By engaging with real conversations in Easy English, you will improve your English speaking practice, enabling greater fluency and confidence in discussing career-related subjects.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Job: A specific role you perform for payment; for example, being a teacher or a waiter.
  • Career: The long-term progression of work you undertake, often comprising various jobs over time.
  • Since: A preposition used to indicate the starting point of an action or event; for example, "I have worked at the BBC since 2021."
  • Work experience: The practical experience of having a job in a particular field, important for gaining skills necessary for career advancement.
  • Fluent: The ability to speak a language smoothly and effortlessly; a crucial goal for English language learners.

Practice Tips for This Video

To maximize your learning experience while watching this video, here are some specific tips:

  • Use the shadowing technique: Try to repeat phrases after Neil and Beth, mimicking their pronunciation and intonation to improve your English fluency.
  • Focus on speaking speed: The hosts speak at a pace that is slow enough for learners. Take advantage of this by pausing the video to practice difficult phrases or repeating sections that challenge you.
  • Listen for accent: Pay attention to how Neil and Beth articulate words, especially in everyday speech related to jobs. This will help you adjust your accent and pronunciation practice.
  • Discuss the context: After watching, consider discussing your past jobs or career aspirations with a friend, which will reinforce your understanding and use of the vocabulary learned.
  • Reflect on your career: Think about your experiences and future goals in terms of jobs and careers, and try to express these in English. This will make the learning process more relevant and engaging.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud β€” like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency β€” making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

How to Practice Effectively on ShadowingEnglish

  1. Choose your video: Pick a YouTube video with clear, natural English speech. TED Talks, BBC News, movie scenes, podcasts, or IELTS sample answers all work great. Paste the URL into the search bar. Start with shorter videos (under 5 minutes) and content you find genuinely interesting β€” motivation matters.
  2. Listen first, understand the context: On your first pass, keep the speed at 1x and just listen. Don't try to repeat yet. Focus on understanding the meaning, picking up new vocabulary, and noticing how the speaker stresses words, links sounds, and uses pauses.
  3. Set up Shadowing mode:
    • Wait Mode: Choose +3s or +5s β€” after each sentence plays, the video pauses automatically so you have time to repeat it out loud. Choose Manual if you want full control and press Next yourself after each repetition.
    • Sub Sync: YouTube subtitles sometimes appear slightly ahead or behind the audio. Use Β±100ms to align them perfectly so you can follow along accurately.
  4. Shadow out loud (the core practice): This is where the real work happens. As soon as a sentence plays β€” or during the pause β€” repeat it out loud, clearly and confidently. Don't just mouth the words: mirror the speaker's exact rhythm, stress, pitch, and connected speech. Aim to sound like a shadow of the speaker, not just a word-by-word recitation. Use the Repeat feature to drill the same sentence multiple times until it feels natural.
  5. Scale up the challenge: Once a passage feels comfortable, push your limits. Increase speed to <code>1.25x</code> or even <code>1.5x</code> to train high-speed language reflexes. Or set Wait Mode to <code>Off</code> for continuous shadowing β€” the most advanced and rewarding mode. Consistent daily practice of 15–30 minutes will produce noticeable results within weeks.

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